Strawberry shortage impacting supermarkets across the country
Updated . First published at
A strawberry shortage is impacting supermarkets across the country.
While temporary shortages over winter between growing seasons aren’t out of the ordinary, this year supplies are even more sparse due to heavy rain in growing regions.
Strawberries are in short supply in supermarkets across the country. Jo Abi
Significant rain events have reportedly pushed the season further back leading to shortages and soaring prices.
A Woolworths spokesperson told nine.com.au they are “working closely with our key growers to improve supply in the next few weeks”.
A Coles spokesperson said similarly, “Strawberry supply is a little lighter than usual at the moment, with some recent unseasonably wet weather in Queensland, our major winter growing region, delaying the ripening process.
It’s expected the supply issues will last for weeks.
Co-founder of fruit and vegetable wholesalers Box Divvy, Anton van den Berg, told nine.com.au strawberries will be available over winter, but they’ll “continue to be expensive, at least in the short term”.
“Growers are saying that the crop is looking good, but rainy conditions and lack of sun over the past few weeks are slowing them down,” van den Berg said.
“This also delays picking, as growers prefer to let the fruit dry out, strawberries break down more quickly when wet.”
Coles and Woolworths are currently selling 250g punnets of strawberries for $6, or $24 per kilo. At Aldi, shoppers will pay $5.69 for a 250g punnet or $22.76 per kilo.
They currently cost $6 per 250g punnet at Coles and Woolies and slightly less at Aldi. Jo Abi
During peak season punnets of strawberries typically drop to $2 to $3 per 250g punnet.
Box Divvy is currently paying $5 to $6 per punnet wholesale for strawberries coming from Queensland, mainly from the Cabooture region, according to van den Berg, which he says translates to $7 to $8 retail.
“Victorian crops have all but finished, so Queensland is the only available option,” van den Berg said.
“If last year is any guide – and we hope it’s not – prices won’t come down until late July, but even then, good fruit fetched $5 plus a punnet in the shops.
“You might recall that SE Queensland had a horror season, with cyclone Alfred dumping several hundred mm of rain in early March, followed by another rain event in late March. This delayed much of the planting.”
He said if Queensland weather dries out over the next few weeks, prices could come down by early July, but he “wouldn’t hold my breath”.
“Mid-August through to mid-September is usually the peak of the season, when you can expect prices to drop to $2 per punnet or less,” he added.
Frozen strawberries are an option for supermarket shoppers not happy to pay higher prices for fresh fruit.
Have you got a story? Contact reporter Jo Abi at jabi@nine.com.au.
Some supermarket locations don't have any premium strawberries at all. Jo Abi
Coles brand frozen strawberries currently cost $12.50 per kilo and just 12 at Woolworths.
Aldi sells frozen strawberries for $11.98 per kilo.
